Yanukovych had a 100% opportunity to negotiate with the Maidan, but his refusal led to the annexation of the Crimea by Russia, — Kuchma

If the former President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych dismissed the government, as required by the independence, managed to keep a part of Ukraine Crimea, annexed by Russia, and to prevent the war in the Donbass.

This was stated by the former President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma, according to hromadske.ua.

According to Kuchma, during the last meeting between three former presidents of Ukraine, heads of the opposition and the President in December 2013, Yanukovych offered to dismiss the government.

«The last time we offered unto him, send the government in resignation and they leave from the Maidan. He said its not losing. And virtually all the negotiations were completed. In that situation it was necessary to make concessions,» said the second President of Ukraine.

According to him, Yanukovych had an absolute opportunity to solve this problem and not to run from Ukraine.

«Well, a great tragedy for the government to resign? If on this matter the scenario development, so Crimea would have been ours. In the Donbas would not have been such,» — said Kuchma.

Earlier it was reported that in the Svyatoshinsky court of Kiev held a hearing on the case of five former employees of special division «Berkut», which questioned Viktor Yanukovych. Among other things, Yanukovych said that when he was in the Crimea, «took the radical decision to immediately launch a referendum on secession and joining Russia». He also told me how much the Russian military influence on events on the Ukrainian Peninsula.

Yanukovych had a 100% opportunity to negotiate with the Maidan, but his refusal led to the annexation of the Crimea by Russia, — Kuchma 29.11.2016